KIRBY, MCKIM CLAIM SRIXON QUALIFIER MEDALIST HONORS
12 qualifiers to compete in Dalhousie Junior Championship

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — Robert Kirby of Bowling Green, Ohio, carded an even-par 72 Sunday to earn Boys Division medalist honors at the Srixon Qualifier of the Dalhousie Junior Championship. Courtney McKim of Raleigh, N.C., posted a 6-over-par 78 to claim the top spot in the Girls Division.

Conducted by the American Junior Golf Association, the Dalhousie Junior Championship Srixon Qualifier was an 18-hole stroke play event held at Dalhousie Golf Club. The 59-player field featured players from 13 states. The course played at 6,970 yards for the Boys Division and 6,063 yards for the Girls Division.

Kirby holed a 20-foot birdie putt on his opening hole and followed with three more birdies en route to his even-par round. Despite the four-birdie performance, Kirby said he entered the round more focused on making pars than birdies.

“I wasn't planning on making birdies,” said Kirby, who opted to take a Tournament Exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event. “I wanted to hit a lot of greens and two-putt for par. I was able to make a few decent-length putts you need for a good score.”

The 10 qualifiers that filled the Boys Division field were Ryan O'Rear of Salado, Texas, Nick Grabbe of Chesterfield, Mo., Thomas Wuennenberg of St. Louis, Mo., Kyle Knierim of Republic, Mo., William Hunt of Paducah, Ky., Severiano Smith of Webb City, Mo., Matt Buse of Loveland, Ohio, Robert Thompson of Leawood, Kan., Alex Knoll of Westphalia, Mo., and Jordan Brown of Memphis, Tenn.

Qualifying but opting to take a Tournament Exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event were Tyler Downing of Sturgis, Mich., Alex Reid of Jackson, Mo., Shane Convery of Raymond, Ill., Taylor Koser of Rice Lake, Wis., Jake Myron of Kansas City, Mo., and Wilson Orr of Memphis, Tenn.

In the Girls Division, McKim's short game was the catalyst of her round. She played the par 3s in 2-under-par, drained a long birdie putt on No. 5, and chipped in for birdie on No. 7, carrying her to medalist honors.

“I wanted to qualify — that's the ultimate goal,” McKim said. “I went out thinking about a score and I tried to achieve it.”

Emily Matthews of Cape Girardeau, Mo., also qualified for this week's tournament, and Brooke Bettis of St. Charles, Ill., qualified but opted to take a Tournament Exemption in lieu of playing in this week's event.

The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The largest Association of its kind, the AJGA has a junior membership (boys and girls ages 12-18) of approximately 5,000 junior golfers from 49 states and 30 foreign countries.

SRIXON Sports USA, Inc., based in Lawrenceville, Ga., has been distributing premium golf balls and equipment in the U.S. since 1997 and is a subsidiary of SRI Sports Limited. SRI Sports Limited is the number one golf club manufacturer in the world's second largest market, Japan, and is one of the world's leading patent holders in golf ball technology. SRIXON golf balls earned 26 tournament victories on multiple professional tours around the world in 2006.

AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. More than 160 former AJGA juniors currently play on the PGA and LPGA Tours and have compiled more than 300 wins. AJGA alumni include Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Stewart Cink, Davis Love III, Cristie Kerr, Pat Hurst, Paula Creamer, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel and Julieta Granada.

For more information about the Dalhousie Junior Championship, please contact tournament headquarters at (573) 332-0818.